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Eight Best Tips For Acing A Tough Speaking Engagement

YEC is an invite-only organization comprised of the world's most successful entrepreneurs 40 and younger.

YEC members share their top speaking tips.All photos courtesy of individual YEC members.

The stage is set, and you are up as the lead speaker of the night. The crowd is a group of your peers, which you know is skeptical at best. Yet, you need to land the presentation with fanfare and flair, but how do you overcome those jitters that are eating you alive?

With as many as74% of people suffering from speech anxiety, making sure you have your lines prepared and your jokes down pat can help ease your fears. Preparing in advance for a tough speaking engagement is the only way to ensure that you ace your moment in the spotlight.

Eight members ofYoung Entrepreneur Council share some of the best tips on landing a notoriously tough speaking engagement and on preparing for the event. Here is what they recommend:

1. Elbow Your Way In

My best advice on landing speaking gigs is to strategically network the event, one year prior to the launch. First, attend, then review who spoke at this event last year, see if you know anybody on the speaker list or if you know anybody who knows someone on the speaker list, then reach out, build a relationship and get introduced to the programming/content director. Getting a referral from a past speaker is the best way to get a speaker slot, then ask the organizer if they do evaluations and what talks in the past were most successful. Make sure to take notes to build your talk accordingly and prepare by practicing the talk in your sales pitch. You can curate your content creatively in ways that also benefit your business if you do not obtain the position, by making a video series. -Matthew Capala,Alphametic

2. Focus On Increasing Your Personal Brand

I get a lot of speaking engagement requests through my personal website. Purchase a domain name for your personal brand, preferably your full name, if available. Then, figure out what kind of speaking engagements you'd like to be invited to and start creating blog posts and content for that target audience. Use sites like Quora and Answer The Public to find out what questions your target audience is asking, and write blog posts that answer their questions. This will help you become a thought leader in your industry. Once you've been invited to speak, take a look at different speakers on YouTube to get to know the various styles, and figure out which style comes naturally to you. -Syed Balkhi,OptinMonster

3. Create A Focused Checklist

We live in a world where landing speaking engagements is more competitive than one thinks. We all have that ignited passion inside of us but when it comes to delivering a talk, it can get frustrating when we have to land a speaking engagement and there is no follow up. The speaking engagements I have landed have been through referrals and I prepared for them by understanding the theme of the event and outlining a talk based on the level of the audience. The talk had a narrow focus on the specific problem the audience was facing and how I could help them with their problem. The focus then transformed into a solution to inspire the audience to take action. Nothing helped me more than creating a checklist that reflected the needs of the target audience and how to best address their problem. -Sweta Patel,Silicon Valley Startup Marketing

4. Start A YouTube Channel

Starting a YouTube channel will help you get comfortable speaking in front of an audience. You'll be able to watch your mannerisms and perfect your topic ideas before speaking in front of a live audience. As you become more popular on YouTube, people will notice and start inviting you to participate in speaking engagements. Once you start participating in more speaking engagements, ask the event organizers if you can post your talks on your channel to spread the message to your followers. Not only will you be giving your followers another video to watch on their interested topic, you will also be showing other event organizers some of your past speeches, motivating them to book you for their next event. -Jared Atchison,WPForms

5. Be Specific And Know Your Audience

Too often, people send out pitches that are generic and do more to promote the speaker than to connect with the organization or audience. What value are you bringing? What currency can you bring to the specific audience? Do your research and see who will attend the event, and be sure to connect with them in your pitch and request -- we know why you care, but why should they care? Why are you the best person for this role? The more specific you are, the better! -Jen Brown,The Engaging Educator

6. Show Your Value

The best way to land a tough speaking engagement is to demonstrate how your skills and experiences would add value to the attendees of the conference. You can do this by creating a portfolio of previous speaking engagements, interviews, and content pieces. It's okay to start small as a guest on podcasts, co-working space workshops, and as a contributing writer on blogs and other sites that interest you. Once you have a base of previous speaking engagements, use this, plus a personalized pitch, to show the value that you'd bring to the conference you want to speak at. -Brian David Crane,Caller Smart Inc.

7. Get To Know The Organizers

I am fortunate enough to be asked to speak at several conferences each year. A good number of those speaking opportunities come at events I previously attended. Conference organizers generally make themselves available to attendees, and meeting them can be a golden opportunity to forge a connection that may lead to a speaking engagement in future. Speakers also participate in networking events, and getting a referral from one is a surefire way to get on the organizer’s radar. In terms of preparation, there really is no substitute for practice. Take advantage of any opportunity to speak in public that you can. Record your presentations and use the recordings to fine-tune your performance. That way, when your shot at a tough speaking engagement comes along, you’ll be ready. -Thomas Smale,FE International

8. Create Your Own Luck

While luck can play a large role in landing a premier spot at your next industry conference, there is something to be said for creating your own luck. A great start to landing the role is by making your name known as an expert in your field -- write a blog, share your knowledge, help others, engage in conversations on social media, run live sessions, etc. Position yourself as a thought leader and every event organizer will be dreaming to have. When attending an event, big or small, make sure to network with the event organizers. In terms of preparation, practice makes perfect. Speaking at smaller events can help build your confidence and a clearer presenter. You will be amazed how a few extra hours of practice can help you overcome common stumbling blocks at your next conference. -Zohar Steinberg,token